


I bet tails

by raskolnikovatthebarricade



Category: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead - Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990) RPF
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 04:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14097549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raskolnikovatthebarricade/pseuds/raskolnikovatthebarricade
Summary: In which Guildenstern is the essence of a man spinning double-headed coins, and betting against himself in private atonement for an unremembered past; or, why Guildenstern doesn’t know what he’s talking about.





	I bet tails

Two ELIZABETHANS are in a place with no visible character. They have been in silence for quite some time, but seem familiar enough with each other not to mind it. GUILDENSTERN (hereafter GUIL) seems to be worriedly wondering on some subject. ROSENCRANTZ (hereafter ROS) is glancing around unconcerned. Something catches his attention for a few moments, but he’s soon disinterested again. GUIL breaks the silence.

GUIL: I may have killed somebody.  
ROS: Where did that come from?  
GUIL: I may. And I’ve forgotten. I might have forgotten.  
ROS: You would remember.  
GUIL: On the contrary. I’d have forgotten. It would make sense.  
ROS: It would make no sense at all.  
GUIL: Of course it would. That’s why I forgot what came before.  
(Small pause) I could. Break something, I mean.  
(Pause)  
ROS: I couldn’t.  
GUIL: Of course you couldn’t.  
ROS (softly): It’s not obvious.  
GUIL: Of course you couldn’t.  
ROS (slightly offended): It’s not obvious.  
(Longer pause)I do get what you mean. With being capable of breaking something. I get it. I mean… The limit is so fragile. You’d just have to… Cross it.  
GUIL: I can imagine it. It would be a matter of moments. Of losing control of yourself. You’d just need to…  
(Small pause) cross it.  
ROS: I could do it. I just wouldn’t allow myself to.  
GUIL: You have no idea what you are talking about.  
ROS: Neither do you.  
(Small pause) I’m sorry.  
(Pause) Wanna play heads?  
GUIL(angrily): You can’t think of anything for long, can you?  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: I didn’t say I’d play.  
ROS: Heads.   
GUIL: You don’t care, do you?  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: Your levity is enviable.  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: Though I do not desire it.  
ROS: Heads.  
(Silence)  
GUIL: I bet on tails.  
ROS: Are you sure?  
GUIL: No.  
ROS: Then do you bet on heads?  
GUIL: … No.  
ROS: You could just bet on heads.  
(Long silence)  
GUIL: Do you remember why are we here?  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: I mean, supposing we aren’t always in this place.  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: A pretty reasonable guess, I think.  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: As most people don’t live in travelling clothes, with travelling bags, in some unremarkable wood.  
ROS: Heads.  
GUIL: (suddenly startled) That is quite a run of heads, isn’t it?  
(Pause)  
ROS: Yes. It has been nine in a row already.  
GUIL: Not impossible to happen, if you spend long enough spinning coins. As we have been. And yet, still very remarkable.  
ROS: Will you bet on heads or tails?  
GUIL: Do you really want to play this game?  
ROS: Yes I do.   
(Pause)  
GUIL: I bet on tails.


End file.
